Tonight with your 13 to 17 year old

The prompt

“When's a moment lately you felt like we actually treated you as an equal instead of just a kid?”

What to listen for

If they can name a specific moment easily, they're noticing and valuing the times their opinion or judgment is trusted, a sign they need to feel their growing maturity is actually being seen.

If they struggle to think of one or go quiet, that's worth sitting with gently rather than defending yourself, it may mean they're craving more say in decisions that affect them, even small ones.

A joking answer like "never" could be half-true feedback wrapped in humor, worth a light follow-up without getting defensive.

What this tells you

Whether they can point to a moment of being treated as an equal tells you how much say they feel they currently have in their own life.